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Times-Advocate, 1979-04-04, Page 4Times-Advocat«, April 4, 1979 Tlie wait is over The long wait is over...Canadians will go to the polls on May 22, and at the outset of the campaign it would appear that the delaying tactics of Prime Minister Trudeau could back-fire. The PM, of course, has been waiting for a more favorable political climate, and while the Liberals have regained some of their support in the national polls, there is every indication that they and the Conservatives are kicking off the campaign with relatively equal support. The delay has not hurt the Conser­ vatives as much as Mr. Trudeau had hoped. In the first place, many ridings had named candidates several months ago in anticipation of an earlier elec­ tion call, and this has given newcomers an opportunity to get out and meet voters in their constituencies to take away one of the big advantages of sit­ ting members. While that situation would appear to favor neither party, that is not the case. Given the fact that the Liberals have declined in popularity, their sit­ ting members have undoubtedly suf­ fered more than their PC counterparts in allowing challengers the extra time for making themselves known per­ sonally on the hustings. Liberal strategy since last fall has consisted primarily of waiting. Waiting for the Conservatives to make mis­ takes, for the economy to improve, for events to support the Trudeau government’s claim to be the only dependable guardian of national unity. It was a waiting game that provided few benefits. While many Canadians are still uncertain about the leadership qualities of Mr. Clark, there is little evidence to suggest that the delay has in any way weakened his position. The economy, of course, has not rebounded to the extent the Liberals had hoped and the unity question is so complex that the average Canadian doesn’t have much idea of which party stands the better chance of keeping this nation intact. So, as the long battle for votes un­ folds, the race appears extremely close and the campaign strategies will play an important role in determining the next government of Canada. The odds right now are on the Conservatives. “If we want to re-establish your credibility, we'll have to avoid embarrassing foul-ups such as lost luggage. .. Joe?" Old job will be waiting Having written “What to do to be fired” we were interested to see the following editorial in the Toronto Globe and Mail. A person who commits a serious crime is not only breaking the law but, assuming a conviction, forfeiting cer­ tain rights — among them the right to vote, the right to freedom of move­ ment, and, we have always assumed, the right to security of employment. He cannot, we have believed, expect that whatever job he held before com­ mitting the crime will be waiting for him at the end of his sentence. Labor arbitrator J.F.W. Weatherill believes otherwise. He has ruled that a mail handler who committed armed robbery while on a day’s sick leave from the Post office, and who was dis­ missed from his job for that reason, has a right to be reinstated without loss of seniority. In doing so, Mr. Weatherill had set a precedent which, unchalleng­ ed, could amount to a guarantee of job security for anyone planning a serious crime unrelated to his place of employ­ ment. If the robbery doesn’t work out, a man could reason, he would at least have a job waiting for him on his release from jail — a guarantee which significantly diminishes the risk in­ volved in the crime. The Post Office has not been entirely Blameless. It dismissed the employee after he had been charged but before he had been tried, and Mr. Weatherill might have had good reason to order the Post Office to compensate its former employee for wages lost between the date of dismissal and the date of conviction. Instead, he struck down what we would consider a vital principle: that a man. convicted in a court of law of breaching a serious law has violated society’s trust and sacrificed whatever right of employ­ ment he might previously have held. This is not to say the Post Office should not consider rehiring the employee. He has served the sentence imposed by the courts, spent several months in jail and lived on probation for a year. It is an unfortunate fact of life that he might have trouble finding a job with a conviction for armea robbery on his record, and we can cer­ tainly understand why he has struggled to recover his old job. But rehiring the employee should be a matter between the employee and the Post Office, a decision based on his past work record and the Post Office’s assessment of his rehabilitation and his value as a prospective employee. It is not a matter to be legislated by an ar­ bitrator. The Post Office, for its own sake and to prevent the decision from becoming a precedent, should take immediate steps to appeal Mr. Weatherill’s ruling. Not wrong . . . just a bit premature Mainstream Canada Dree Tradeoffs SYD FLETCHER Perspectives Maybe you remember Chris. He was the little fellow in Grade I with tight, almost kinky blonde curls who was the little con man in disguise. When he wanted something done he’d turn on the charm and one of his classmates would fight to do it for him. Chris was the little guy who went around for a couple of weeks with his front pockets turned inside out. At first the teacher thought it was just sloppiness but day after day the new pattern of dress appeared. Times Established 1873 , Vnable to stand the suspense any longer, she finally asked him, quite off­ handedly about the pockets. Straight-faced, he replied, “Oh those are my dog ears”, and went on about his business. The teacher was tempted to ask him what breed but thought better of it. Then on St. Patrick’s day they were discussing the various symbols associated with it: shamrocks, canes and of course leprechauns. Now little kids in the primary grades are always intrigued with the idea of being small. Give them a chance to set under teacher’s desk or some other enclosed area to read a supplementary book and they’ll jump at the op­ portunity. The idea of being as small as an insect or a mouse really fascinates them. So this particular day ' Chris’ teacher asked them to i shut their eyes and think of ■ themselves as leprechauns doing something a leprechaun would do. Well, there were various enthusiastic replies ranging from visiting a mouse to hiding in a teacup. Then the teacher came to Chris, “And what are you doing, Chris?” “I’m peeing in a thimble,” came the prompt reply, eyes shut tight, and speaking quite solemnly. “Ahem,” said the teacher trying to keep a straight face, “and what are you doing, Johnny?” Eventually it came time to come back to Chris., “And what are you doing now, Chris?” “Oh I’m just getting off the thimble,” with just enough of a grin on his face to make the teacher and class crack up completely. I guess some leprechaun’s minds work overtime. Making forecasts is a dangerous game at the best of times and through the years some sages have had their words come back to haunt them. For instance, people may get a chuckle out of a quote in an 1899 edition of the Literary Digest, when it was proclaimed that “the horseless carriage is at present a luxury for the wealthy...and it will never become as popular as the bicycle”. Henry Ford, of course, changed all that but the writer in the Literary Digest may well have the last laugh yet. In fact, if the Arabs continue to display their penchant for increasing oil prices at their present schedule, the laughing may start sooner than most would care to consider. The Literary digest quote was brought visibly home this week when we glanced through the daily and spotted a picture of two Buffalo policemen with their new vehicles. They weren’t horseless carriages, but rather bicycles. Our neighbours over in that New York state city have already started to feel the pinch of the rising energy costs and policemen have been issued with bicycles for their patrols; the added benefit being the physical conditioning that goes with those two-wheelers. As area residents watch the prices steadily roll up on the gas pumps they may well be prepared to agree that “the horseless carriage is at present (or the not-too-distant future) a luxury for the wealthy”. ★ ★ ★ While the fitness aspect of being forced to rely on two-wheelers will no doubt be welcomed by Participaction of Canada, that group has come under fire recently for having pulled one of the greatest hoaxes ever on Canadians. Remember when we were told that 60-year-old Swedes were fitter than the average Canadian? Well, it just wasn’t true and was simply a myth invented by Participaction Canada to shame citizens in this nation into more regular exercising programs. In fact, Canadians live longer and exercise more than Swedes. It was an expensive hoax. Canadians have spent millions of dollars in jogg­ ing shoes, exercise equipment and health spa memberships, to say nothing of the detergents to wash swea­ ty t-shirts or for the deodorants for those who couldn’t take time to wash their t-shirts. The only people laughing about the situation are the Swedes. They’ve been leisurely sitting around guzzling beer while the crazy Canadians have been out huf/ing, straining and perspiring. * * Speaking of hoaxes, that’s what the parking lot direction signs are at Toronto’s International Airport. We visited there Wednesday to start the better half on her week-long holiday in Vancouver. Her six-hour flight was just a shade longer than the time her husband spent looking for a spot to park the family van. For some strange reason, Transport Canada officials have failed to realize that many people have kept pace with their penchant for bigger craft. They think we all drive small, foreign cars judging from the gaps they have left for entry into their parking building. On our last visit to the airport, we saw what happens to the top portion of a 7’6” camper being driven through a 6’ underpass, so had no intention of con­ duction a similar test on the van. The third trip round the complex finally uncovered some blue signs poin­ ting to “overheight parking”. Follow­ ing those signs, we drove around for another lengthy duration, all the time those arrows on the signs pointing straight ahead. We finally after passing the same landmark about a dozen times and came to the conclu­ sion the Transport Canada officials have signs for overheight parking, but don’t really have any lots for that pur­ pose, just the signs. Oh well, no doubt cuts down on the airport overhead! At any rate, we finally ended up pushing the better half out the door in front of the departure zone with a passionate good-bye message of “have fun, I’m going home”. That trip home was delated somewhat when we stopped in to visit Bill and Sandra Pollen at Milton, arriv­ ing just a few minutes behind Audrey Pooley who was on her way home after watching son Paul play the night before with the Kingston Canadiens against Peterboro Petes. When we found out that Tim Pollen and his Milton minor pee wees were playing Dunnville in what could be the last game of the Ontario “A” cham­ pionship, we took in that game to watch Tim lead his team to the title with a 4-3 win. The Exeter cheering section was further augmented by Bob Pooley and Tim’s grandparents, Marj Pollen, Irene and Norm Walper. Tim, who has scored 95 goals in his team’s 56-4-2 season this year, was the best player on the ice, an opinion shared by this writer and not merely his grandparents.1 And local hockey fans will also be pleased to note that Paul Pooley has been one of the dominant factors in Kingston’s playoff successes to date, scoring three goals and four assists at time of writing. gave up By IV. Roger Worth In tiny Hartland, New Brunswick, machine shop operator Woodford Craig is so upset he says he feels like “a stranger in his own land.” In Lethbridge, Alberta, entrepreneur Dorsey Asplund is equally distressed, claiming he may not be able to expand his neat little manufacturing business because of “the dif­ ficulty.” For the two successful businessmen, the problem is a system of government sup­ ports that subsidizes com­ petitors, at the expense of taxpayers, leaving the entre­ preneurs out in the cold. At issue: direct grants from the federal Department of Regional Economic Ex­ pansion for businesses to locate in so-called depressed Roger Worth is Director, Public Affairs, Canadian Federation of Independent Business. areas of the country, creating jobs in an attempt to over­ come high unemployment rates. While the idea has merit, the grant system has created distortions in the market sys­ tem, forcing entrepreneurs such as Craig and Asplund to compete with companies well-heeled with taxpayer dollars. Last year, for example, Dree spent about $525 mil­ lion in depressed regions such as Atlantic Canada and Quebec. While much of the cash was spent on infra­ structure - roads and other public works projects—more than $100 million went to private businesses in the form of grants and subsidies. For Asplund in Leth­ bridge, the policy is particu­ larly upsetting. In addition to running a chain of muffler shops, the entrepreneur developed a pipe-bending machine and manufactures about three of the units every month. He wants to expand production, providing an additional 20 jobs. No Dree grants are available in boom­ ing Alberta where the unem­ ployment rate is at rock bottom. He’ll have to use his own money to finance ex­ pansion. A California company, meanwhile, recently received a $93,000 grant to set up a plant producing a competi­ tive product in Rimouski, Quebec. That’s unfair, says Asplund. Machine shop operator Craig in New Brunswick, meanwhile, manufactures a broad range of snow plow and road grader blades, trail­ ers, and other heavy equip­ ment. What irritates Craig is government grants to a company producing similar goods to set up shop in his own back yard. New Brunswick, of course, qualifies for Dree grants. Craig says he doesn’t mind competition, in fact he’s a firm supporter of the market system. Yet he wonders why governments should be using tax dollars - some of them his own — to finance his competition. 55 Years Ago Sugar and Spice Dispensed by Smiley Who really does care? Advocate Established 1 881 vocatei Amalgamated 1924 imes 235-1331 (♦CNA SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $11 .C)O Per Year; USA $22.00 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EEDY, PUBLISHER Editor — Bill Batten Assistant Editor —■ Ross Haugh Advertising Manager — Jim Beckett Composition Manager — Harry DeVries Business Manager Dick Jongkind Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386 Does anyone in this country even care any more whether the federal election occurs in April, May or June? Does anyone even care any more whether there is a federal election, in which we might exchange a right-wing reform party for a right-wing party, either winner being at the mercy, in a vote, of a right-wing left-wing party? Day after day of listening to the news, and watching the news, and reading the news, has created in me, at least, the greatest sense of apathy I’ve ever experienced in my life. And I have a hunch that millions of Canadians agree with me. Does anyone care any more what Margaret Trudeau, a rather silly woman with verbal dysentery, among other ailments, has yet to reveal? Not me. Does anyone care any more how many Christian Arabs in Beirut killed how many Muslim Arabs in Beirut? Not me. Does anyone care that Prince Charles was seen jogging on a beach in Australia, that Pierre Berton has written another book, that Canadian writers and artists and theatres and publishers all claim they need more of our tax bucks to survive? Not me. Only they, A colleague of mine describes an organization at the university he attended. It was called the Apathy Club. It put out notices like these: “The Apathy Club will not hold its usual meeting this month,” Or, “True to its convictions, the Apathy Club fail­ ed to elect a new president, when no one ran for the office, and no one show­ ed up to vote for those who did not run.” I have a feeling that Canada is tur­ ning into one vast Apathy Club. Oh, we’re not yet quite completely lifeless. You can see this by reading the Letters-to-the Editor columns, where all the cranks, quacks and bigots are given a chance to sound off. But when all the news is bad news — unemployment, falling dollar, violence, threat of wars — we are in­ clined to tune out, and to tune in to some sort of escapist entertainment. This apathy is reflected in all sorts of phases of our society. It’s considered a big deal if there is a 60 per cent turnout for an election. Outside the larger cities, where there is constant hype from the sports writers, sports are dying out. Small towns and cities that used to pack their arenas and baseball grandstands to watch the home boys fight off those in­ fidels from the next town, draw only handfulls of spectators these days. Well, what’s the cause of all this apathy, you might ask. I believe it is the result of modem communication systems, which are supposed to bring the world closer together, and are, in­ stead, making individuals harder and more self-centred, as they find themselves drowning in a flood of world-wide miseries which they feel helpless to alleviate. Does anyone really care about the killing of baby seals except those directly involved: the Newfie hunters trying to supplement a meagre living; the protestors who enjoy the publicity they get; and a number of old ladies of both sexes who compose ferocious letters to the editor condemning the hunt, while downing a few slices of spring lamb and mint jelly? Not me. My sympathies are com­ pletely on the side of the sealers. It’s hard, dirty work they do, and they don’t do it because they are sadists, any more than the killers in a slaughter-house enjoy knocking sweet little calves over the head, so that you can have your veal and your calf-skin gloves. When it is proved to me that the harp seal is an endangered species, I’ll join the'protestors. Not before. Where were all these silly twits when it was not baby seals that were being slaughtered, but baby brothers, and un­ cles and cousins and fathers, during the Great Wars? I don’t remember too many letters to the editors in those days. The same sort of people who write protesting letters today about the seals, are probably the spiritual descendents of those nasty old women (of both sexes)who went around pinning white feathers on guys in civilian clothes during W.W.I. And gave you surly service and short measure in W.W.II, always accompanied by the snarl, “Don’t you know there’s a war on?” This to guys in uniforms. Ah, dear, it’s an age when some peo- Miss Viola Hodgert and Miss Thelma Taylor have taken positions as operators at the Telephone central. The Hurondale Women’s Institute celebrated the fifth anniversary of their organization Wednesday at the home of Mrs. Henry Strang. Mrs. Mitchell gave a brief summary of the progress made by the Institute in the past five years . .. one interesting feature being that the membership h ad increased from 19 to 52. The sugar shanty belonging to Mrs. John Glenn was noticed to be on fire shortly after 11 o’clock Monday night. Mr. Glenn, with the assistance of neigh­ bors, extinguished the flames with a large quantity of sap that had been gathered for Tuesday’s boiling. Only the roof was damaged. Two dozen neighbors gathered at the bush on the farm of Joshua Johns and cut enough wood to keep the house warm for a year. 30 Years Ago Two elderly farmers in Stephen township about six miles "west of Exeter were robbed of $550 after the men had been bound and the house ransacked, Tuesday evening. Mr. Mose Beckler has disposed of his 150 acre farrri to William Rowcliffe. The Royal Canadian Air Force notes its silver jubilee, April 1. The Huronia choir was placed third in competition with four choirs at Stratford Musical Festival Thursday evening. Twenty members of the Kumjoinus Class of Main Street United Church motored to the County Home, Clinton, to present a concert for the residents. 20 Years Ago Chief C. H. MacKenzie sounded warnings Wed­ nesday that the problems of dogs and parking would be receiving more attention from the police in the next few months. Paula Boulianne, Grade 12 students at SHDHS, won third prize in lyrical verse speaking at the provincial competition in Toronto this week. Ontario’s new point system, designed to help bad drivers improve and remove chronic offenders from the highways, went into effect, Wednesday. Total number of animals in Huron county which have died from rabies since the epidemic broke here is now well over 100, according to Health of Animals Branch, Dep’t of Agriculture, Seaforth. A two storey apartment building owned by Lloyd Craig of Brucefield burned to the ground Sunday morning. 15 Years Ago An enjoyable evening was spent’at the home of Mrs. Don Cooper, Exeter, when the local staff of the Bell Telephone Co. met and presented her with a gift in recognition of her service at the office. Rev. Howard Plant dedicated a junior choir loft in memory of Mrs. Elston Dowson at St.Andrew \Jnited Church, Kippen, Sunday. The swimming pool fund thermometer erected this week in front of the post office shows $25,000 has already been raised. The committee hopes to have the pool completed by the time school is out at the end of June. Exeter Squirts won the Western Ontario Athletic Association hockey cham­ pionship in Elora Monday night. Bill Gilfillan is the coach. pie seek to swell out of their little selves, to engorge themselves, on publicity. If it were not for the ubiquitous media, ever seeking to touch the lowest of emotions, there wouId be no problems about the seal hunt. The Newfies would run a few protestors off the edge of an ice flow, and that would be that. H4°.w <?idft I get away over here in Newfoundland,if I’m so apathetic? Well, maybe I’m not. And that’s a good sign. Apathy leads to constipation. Constipation leads to hem- morhoids. And the next thing you know, my daughter will be saying to her kids, “Don’t worry, boys. We never seem to have a cent. But Grandad has piles.”